Authorities continue the investigation of the plane crash that occurred on the night of this Sunday, January 14, in Half Moon Bay, in which two people lost their lives.
According to a statement from the San Mateo County Sheriff's OfficeOn Sunday night, authorities responded to reports of a small plane flying erratically near Moss Beach, CA., while reporting that witnesses observed the aircraft before it disappeared from sight.
He detailed that the unified efforts of the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office, CHP, Coastside Fire, the San Mateo County Harbor District and the United States Coast Guard were immediately mobilized to search the area.
Thus, a Coast Guard helicopter and a CHP fixed-wing aircraft were deployed to assist.
Later in the evening, authorities said debris was found in the ocean near the coast, consistent with parts of a plane.
On Monday morning, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office of Emergency Services dispatched approximately 30 volunteers from the Sheriff's Search and Rescue Unit, the Bay Area Mountain Rescue Unit (BAMRU), the of Drones, the Air Squadron, and the Communications Unit, to work alongside additional sworn personnel from across the office, to assist in search efforts.
Unfortunately, it was during that same time that a deceased woman was observed in the water by a commercial fishing boat. The body of the deceased adult female was brought to shore and taken to the San Mateo County Coroner's Office.
The identity of this woman is still being determined, but it is believed that she is likely related to the plane crash, as she was located at the same location.
?We will continue to work collaboratively with the San Mateo County Coroner's Office and NTSB to determine the cause of the accident and the circumstances surrounding the tragic event. More updates will be provided as the investigation progresses,” the Sheriff's Office noted.
This same Monday, the United States Coast Guard announced that it had suspended the search for possible survivors.
“It is never easy to make the decision to suspend search efforts, and our deepest condolences go out to the families involved in this incident,” said Ian McGoohan, operations unit controller at the Coast Guard Sector Command Center. San Francisco. “We are truly grateful for the efforts of our partners who are assisting in the search efforts.”
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